Recipe card
Chaas (Indian Buttermilk)
Chaas is a curd or yogurt-based Indian drink derived from the Sanskrit word Chacchika. This means churned yogurt or cultured milk from which butter has been removed. Buttermilk is English term. In magahi, it is called mattha, ghol in Rajasthan & bengal , chaash in odia, moru in tamil & malayalam, taak in marathi & konkani, majjige in kannada, ale in tulu. Buttermilk is served every day at the end of the meal as it helps in digestion, washes fat, and fights acidity. On a long, hot, and tiring day, the first thing my family loves to have is tempered buttermilk (phanna taak or oggarane majjige). It helps keep your body cool. This curd based drink tastes the best when served chilled. So make a big batch and store it in the refrigerator in advance. Serve it after a meal or when you are home from the hot weather during summer. Also, check out our summer special mango lassi and best-iced coffee.
Ingredients
Buttermilk: If homemade buttermilk is unavailable, you can dilute the yogurt with water and use it to make this drink. Spices: Green chilies, ginger, and coriander leaves add a unique kick and warmth to the chaas. Salt: Plain salt and black salt add taste. Check out the recipe card for the full list of the ingredients.
Making of masala chaas
If you are adding tempering (tadka), Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds; when they start to splutter, switch off the flame. In a mixing bowl, add buttermilk, coriander leaves, green chile, ginger, salt, and black salt, tempering, and mix well. Taste test and adjust. (If you do not like to chew the coriander leaves or crushed ginger, blend everything with buttermilk in a mixie jar or blender to make this chaas drink.) Keep it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If serving immediately, pour onto a serving glass along with ice cubes.
Tips and variations
If you like spicy buttermilk, add more green chilies. For tempered chaas or Karnataka-style oggarane majjige, you can also add cumin seed, curry leaves, and a pinch of hing to the tempering. For north Indian style masala chaas, add cumin powder and crushed mint leaves. For the sweet version (called lassi), add sugar and use a thicker variety of buttermilk. In this case, you will not be able to add any salt or spices. Check out our summer favorite mango lassi. If you do not have buttermilk at home, dilute well-beaten yogurt with water and then add the spices. I will soon write a post on preparing butter and buttermilk at home.
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